Officials of La Pointe Iron Co., one of the owners of the property that Gogebic Taconite unsuccessfully sought to develop as a massive open pit mine, met with local representatives in Hurley to discuss reviving mining plans.

Auto Racing

IRL to steer clear of town for now

The Indy Racing League no longer has any intention coming to the Milwaukee Mile in 2010.

That revelation Friday contradicts a key condition set by State Fair Park if a new group is to be selected to promote races at the historic fairgrounds oval.

"We worked . . . late into last night and again this morning trying to figure out a formula that may allow us to possibly race there in 2010 (and) that wasn't possible," Terry Angstadt, president of the commercial division of the IRL, said Friday in Sparta, Ky.

"We are continuing an open dialogue with them. We hope to be able to find something in the near future for Milwaukee."

Steve Jones, general manager and chief operating officer for the Mile under the previous promoter, serves as the point man for the potential promoter group. Other members of the group have not been identified, but John Griffin, a spokesman for the IRL, identified Jones as the person who reached out to the league on the track's behalf.

The future of the Mile became uncertain this summer when Wisconsin Motorsports, which took over as promoter last offseason, failed to pay the IRL and NASCAR in full for races at the track this season.

When Wisconsin Motorsports failed to meet its July rent payment of $15,000 to State Fair Park, its contract was voided and park officials began a search for a replacement.

Steps in that process included the selection of Jones' group in a State Fair Park board meeting Thursday night and the signing on Friday morning of a legally binding letter of intent to negotiate.

But Fair officials said they won't sign an agreement until the potential promoter has "fully secured race dates from the sanctioning bodies for the Indy Racing League and NASCAR."

NASCAR intends to complete schedules for its Nationwide and Camping World Truck series, which have raced at the Mile, by Labor Day.

The IRL had said last month that it would be flexible with Milwaukee, meaning it would be willing to consider adding the Mile even after the 2010 schedule was announced.

Angstadt's comments, made at Kentucky Speedway during the schedule unveiling, indicate that's no longer the case. Apparently something about the group or its proposal for a race did not meet the league's demands.

"It's a great venue. It's an historic venue. We would love to be there," Angstadt said of the Mile.

Two phone messages left for Jones were not returned Friday. The agreement between State Fair Park and the promoter group includes a confidentiality clause, which has been cited by park officials in declining to identify the group.

A joint news conference is scheduled for Monday, when the potential promoter is to be introduced.